The top 10 internet superstar pets

As the internet continues to boom with videos of cute animals, we choose our
10 favourite star pets

We, for one, welcome our new furry internet overlordsPhoto: YouTube

By Ben Travis

1:02PM BST 28 Aug 2014

We humans may like to think that we are in control of the internet, but with every passing year it becomes more apparent that this is simply not true. Rather, it's the cute cats, adorable dogs, and sweet sloths that have the real power here, and thanks to the likes of YouTube, Reddit and Vine, most of them are more famous than any of us mere homosapiens. The plus side of all this is that we get to amuse ourselves by watching videos of cute and unusual pets from all across the world – in surrender to our furry overlords, here are our top 10 favourite internet superstar pets.

10) Prince

Star power: 5Cute factor: 3Pet suitability: 8

The original talking dog. The video of Prince "speaking" on That's Life would have gone viral if the internet was available in the Seventies. Even without that, he became a cultural sensation and inspired a whole Walls campaign around his catchphrase: "Sausages"

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A few years ago, very few of us would have known what a Slow Loris is - but thanks to this video of Sonya being tickled and punching the air triumphantly, we all want one. Sadly, it's really not a good idea - not only are they poisonous (and potentially fatal to humans), their numbers are rapidly dwindling thanks to deforestation and demand for pets.

8) Glitzy

Star power: 7Cute factor: 6Pet suitability: 4

The pet of child beauty pageant star Honey Boo Boo (aka Alana Thompson), Glitzy is a teacup pig who's had the misfortune of being dressed up in a tiara and having her 'nails' painted. At least she once got her own back by staging a dirty protest on the kitchen table. That said, Glitzy's departure from the show was surprisingly poignant. Well, sort of.

7) Lovely Owl

Star power: 5Cute factor: 10Pet suitability: 3

Owls are mysterious creatures at the best of times, but none more so than Lovely Owl. Despite having more than 16 million views on YouTube, information about this adorable avian head-turner is scarce. All that we really know is that he (or she) is small, soft, and loves having his (or her) head patted.

6) Lil Bub

Star power: 9Cute factor: 6Pet suitability: 7

Thanks to the internet, there's never been a better time to be a cat. Lil Bub got her break on Tumblr, and like most online trends she rose to fame through the Reddit forums. Bub is a "permakitten", who will remain the size of a kitten for life due to dwarfism. She's the star of 2013 documentary film Lil Bub & Friendz, winner of Tribeca Online Festival Best Feature Film, and now has a YouTube series called Lil BUB's Big SHOW.

5) Pumpkin & Hufflepuff

Star power: 4Cute factor: 10Pet suitability: 8

These two adorable African pygmy hedgehogs hail from the UK, and are a sensation on video app Vine with more than 171 thousand followers. Since June 2013, the pair have been delighting viewers by generally being extremely cute, though Hufflepuff sadly passed away in April this year. In his memory, here's a video of him being scrubbed with a toothbrush in the sink.

4) Boo the Dog

Star power: 10Cute factor: 6Pet suitability: 8

Hailed as "the world's cutest dog" by authoritative cultural commentator Khloé Kardashian, Boo is an eight-year-old Pomeranian with a distinctive short hair cut. Boo has more than 15 million Facebook likes, an official plush replica toy, and has even published a book despite lacking thumbs. Face it, the world is already his.

3) Grumpy Cat

Star power: 10Cute factor: 7Pet suitability: 7

She's a cat, and she looks grumpy: she's Grumpy Cat. Finding fame on Reddit in 2012, Grumpy Cat (real name, er, Tardar Sauce) has a constantly unimpressed expression due to feline dwarfism. She must be happy with her achievements though: she has 6.4 million 'likes' on Facebook, has appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal and on the cover of New York Magazine. Hollywood has come calling too - she's working on a live-action film called Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever. Watch out, Scorsese.

2) Buttercup

Star power: 9Cute factor: 8Pet suitability: 7

Fact: the internet at large loves a sloth. They're soft, cute, and so very laid back. Buttercup was the first sloth to be rescued by the Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica – she eats flowers, sleeps all day, and has taken to her role as a Sloth Ambassador (this may not be an official position) with grace.

1) Maru

Star power: 8Cute factor: 10Pet suitability: 9

Just like the majority of internet users, Maru the cat is easily amused. He loves boxes – his favourite activities include jumping into them, and also jumping out of them. Maru and his owner live in Japan, and have been delighting viewers since 2009. He's one of the original cat sensations of YouTube, and a superstar for a reason.